Improvement in rotary steam-engines



S. GIBSON.

Rotary Steam-Engines.

Patented'August 12,1873.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL GIBSON, OF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF HIS RIGHT TO HIBAMYOUNG, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN ROTARY STEAM-ENGINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 141,710, dated August12, 1873; application filed June 20, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL GIBSON, of York, in the county of York and inthe State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Rotary Steam-Engines; and do hereby declare that thefollowin g is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of referencemarked thereon making a part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangementof a rotary steam-en gine, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my inventionappertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe itsconstruction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in which-Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of my rotary engine. Fig. 2 is atransverse vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 represents the head ofthe cylinder, in which is the steaminlet; and Fig. 4 is a perspectiveview of one of the valves.

A represents a cylindrical casing of any desired dimensions, andsupported upon any suitable stand or frame. B is the steam-pipe to beconnected with the boiler, and from which the steam passes through apassage, to, into the interior of the cylinder. The steampassage 0.opens into the upper end of a semicircular groove or recess, b, formedin that head of the cylinder. 0 represents a wheel placed eccentricallywithin the casing A upon a horizontal shaft, 61, which passes throughthe heads of the cylinder above the centers of the same. In the wheel 0are made two slots, extending from opposite sides inward beyond thecenter, and one on each side of the same. In these slots are insertedthe valves D D, which are constructed as shown in Fig. 4, each having arecess, f, on one side, with a passage, 0, leading from the same outthrough the edge. h represents the exhaust-port. The circumference ofthe wheel 0 is madeconvex, as made in Fig. 2, and the inside of thecasing is made concave to correspond.

The steam entering through the inlet-pipe B passes through the passageon into the groove b, and from there through the passage 0 into therecess f on the valve, forcing the same outward. As the wheel isrevolving the valve is forced out by the live steam, which, after thevalve has been moved a certain distance, passes from the recess f intothe casing, and then acts on the valve to turn the wheel; at the sametime the steam behind the inner end of the valve keeps the same outagainst the casing. -When the wheel has made a little less than one-halfof a revolution the valve is forced inward by the space between thewheel and the casing contracting, and the valve-slot passes from beyondthe groove 1) before the other valve reaches the upper end of saidgroove. Thus the steam is cut oil from one valve before the other valvecommences to take on steam, and the wheel is kept on revolving by theexpansion of the steam, and as soon as the valve passes the exhaust-porth the steam is exhausted through the same.

Suitable packing may be attached on the outer ends of the valves D D, ifso desired.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The valves D D, providedeach with a recess, f, and passage 6, and placed in slots in the wheel0, as described, and operated by the live steam through the passage 1),substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

2. The combination, in a rotary engine, of the steam-inlet passage asand the curved passage or cut-off I) in the cylinder-head A with thewheel 0 and its valves D D, whereby the steam is caused to operate uponthe valves before it enters the casing, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the casing A with inlet B, passage a, groove 1),and exhaust h, slotted wheel 0, and valves D D, having recesses f andpassages c, all constructed and arranged substantially as and for thepurposes V herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this14th day of March, 1873.

SAML. GIBSON.

Witnesses: PETER AHL, J r.,

SAMUEL WALLIOII.

